AUGUSTO RODRIGUES
OZRAN, VAGATOR: After two all-nighters of eardrum-shattering music that left local residents seething in fury, the Anjuna Sarpanch Laxmidas Chimulkar on Monday evening shot off a letter to the Anjuna Police, the Goa State Pollution Control Board and other authorities, requesting action against Circus X Namas’ Cray, which has been flouting all decibel norms in the run-up to New Year’s Eve. Residents alleged that the venue had played loud music from midnight right up to 7 am on both days prior and weren’t convinced the letter from the Sarpanch would help. And sure enough, even on Monday, music started blasting around midnight.
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Around 10 pm, there were no lights on the stage erected for the four-day event (December 28-31), but music could be heard playing and people could be seen thronging in. “They are selling tickets even now and people are coming. It’s evident there is more than what meets the eye here. They started blasting music past midnight for the last two days and today will not be different,” observed Desmond Alvares, a crusader against noise pollution, standing outside the venue. Within a couple of hours, the noise mayhem had started in full blast.
The Sarpanch’s letter to the Deputy Collector and SDO, Mapusa, Anjuna Police Inspector and Goa State Pollution Control Board(GSPCB) against the organisers of Circus X Namas’ Cray mentions “playing loud music from 8 pm onwards till morning”. The letter was marked as received by the police station at 6.55 pm and accessed by O Heraldo states that the function is being held “without obtaining prior permission from the Village Panchayat Anjuna-Caisua as required under Goa Panchayat Raj Act.”
“The event is in total violation of all the norms as informed by the locals/villagers thereby creating nuisance and havoc and totally disturbing the peace and serenity of the villagers,” reads the letter.
“We are in favour of certain events that are good for the village but against such parties that disturb everyone and does not benefit the locals. Worse, they went on and had this party without even caring to ask for permission,” stated Chimulkar, the disgruntled Sarpanch.
The letter, however, did not raise any hopes among the old and ailing members of the local community, with most claiming that the organisers did not seem to care about the authorities.
“My window panes were rattling from midnight till early morning. The police preferred to turn a deaf ear and calls to 112 were not being entertained,” said Rita Ali who had in an email cautioned the GSPCB before the event could even start. This was reported in O Heraldo on December 27.
“It is nice that the panchayat has taken the initiative but it still to be seen whether they will stop after midnight as other places around also start blasting their music because of them,” alleges Jovita Fernandes, a resident who lives within ten meters of the venue.
“It appears that our complaints are having no effect. Music went on till 7 am in the morning. It was so loud that I could not even sleep. I doubt the letter of the sarpanch will make a difference,” said a disgusted Sharon Lobo.
